Wednesday, June 28, 2017

The Little Blue House on State Street

I didn't know if I was ever going to get to write a post like this. For 3.45 years I have prayed, cried, planned, prayed, cried and planned some more. When I moved to the Sandhills I was moving to what I thought would be the bridge house, you know the house that we lived in while we made sure we could A of all handle each other and B of all I could handle the Sandhills. This house has been a challenge to get organized in and has pink and purple sponged walls, yes every morning I wake up and can't remember if I am in the 80s or 2017. By the time my year here had rolled around and I knew I wasn't going anywhere because I was marrying this guy I moved to the Sandhills for,
I was getting ANTSY to find a house one that I could put all my special touches on to make it a home. So we began the search and the praying. Around year 2 is when I would occasionally get upset, at 2.5 years I was just MAD. I didn't understand why everything was either way out of our price range or why everything was from the 1970 and needed $100,000 worth of work. It was also around the 2.5 year mark when I started to question how Adam and I as a couple were going to continue to pack up practically every weekend and head to the ranch. While we loved our time at the ranch, it was so very hard to not have our own space on the weekends, to not have a kitchen to cook what and when we want, and to not get anytime at home to get things done on the weekends that you can't get done during the week.

It was about October that we decided we needed to shift from looking for places in Valentine to looking for places in Bassett. Not only for our sanity but also because Adam needed to be closer to the ranch to help out on a more regular bases and not just on weekends. The thing about rural Nebraska is that its not exactly a booming housing market. Which really adds to the frustration not only for us but for any young people that might be looking to go back to those smaller communities. As spring approached and nothing was coming our way I really began to resent God, this place and in all honesty my husband for bring me here. It was one of the hardest times I have experienced in my life, I prayed and shook my fist and cried so many tears. Thank goodness for the GRACE given by the good lord above and my loving husband. Some may say happiness doesn't come from a house it is what you make of it. For myself I do not agree and it is not about having the nicest, biggest home in town. For me it was simply being able to call some place home, some place to settle in and to feel grounded. I feel like my feet haven't hit the ground since moving to Nebraska.

It was the Monday after Easter, I will remember it forever because Easter Sunday was particularly rough. Adam was staying at the ranch to go to a branding that Monday, I was wore out and did not want to have to go home alone. I was beside myself with frustration at our situation that I really didn't think I would ever see an end to. I felt as though I couldn't take anymore, I cried the entire drive back to Valentine and prayed that something would come up soon because I was almost to what I thought would be my breaking point. That next Monday morning Adam and I got a text from his mom that a friend of hers was looking to sell her house. On Tuesday night we were able to get in to take a look, on Thursday we had a contractor look at a couple of things and by the next Saturday we told the seller we would definitely be buying.

So I would like to welcome to the little blue house on State street!

I am in love with this little gem of a house. A perfect starter home that has some great charm and some space to grow. Thoughts truly do become things if you wait long enough, this little house has so many of the things I have dreamed about. I am so excited to have a fire place. A beautiful dining room that will have a shiplap wall of coarse. A living room big enough to build community. Heck maybe I will even have to have a few Husker parties for the sack of being a Nebraskan. A utility room my husband can take his dirty clothes off in and not track sand and all the other things ranchers pick up in everyday life. An office yes an actually office no more kitchen dwelling for 8-10 hours a day, I can shut the door at the end of the day and go back in the morning, like a real job almost.

Although I am so very excited for the next chapter, I am sad to be leaving Valentine. We have grown in to a husband and wife team here, made amazing friend, and have created memories that will last a lifetime. But I am looking forward to the sweet sweet memories that are to be made living in our first official home. Each and everyone of those memories will be savored for the years to come.

P.S. CHEERS to crossing off another 30 before 30. Number 23, buy a home!!